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convinced , that , by exciting the sympathy of the people , on account of the harshness of the case , they would give the doctrines of Arianism a firm hold . He saw nothing but mischief in the
measure . Mr . Park ( of Ballymoney ) could not agree with either the motion or the amendment . His doctrinal opinions were ^ well known to be opposed to Arianism ; and he could not conscientiously support the amendment , because it went to keep Mr . Porter in the clerkship ; but he could not bring himself to believe , that it would be acting like one Christian to another— " for 1 will call Mr . Porter a Christian /' Mr . Porter . " I am much obliged to you . "
Mr . Park . If they were to dismiss him from his situation , without sufficient notice , he suggested the propriety of both motion and amendment being withdrawn ; and wished a declaration to be entered in the Minutes , that the Synod would next year proceed to the
election of another clerk . He hoped before the Synod closed its sittings , to find a plan adopted which would enable them at the next Synod to know more correctly each other ' s opinions on this subject . He was anxious that an active canvas should be set on foot , and that they should be prepared to meet the
question next year . Mr . Hay trusted that Mr . Park ' s view was not the view of the Synod . He wished rather that the question should be met in the spirit of Christian charity at the present session , and that Mr . Porter and his family should not be kept in
suspense . Mr . Porter ' s principles were pretty generally known at the time of his election . He ( Mr . H . ) was his opponent , and a candidate for the situation of clerk ; but it was not fifteen minutes after Mr . P . ' s appointment when he assisted him in the duties of his office . He could , therefore , speak pretty
accurately of the conditions on which he received it , and he felt the understanding to be , that unless he was guilty of a breach of duty , he should not be removed for life . He did not think Mr . Porter guilty of a breach of duty ; and ,
if there were Anana in the Synod , ( which had been sworn to by more than Mr . P ., ) it would be hard to visit the crime on him . Mr . Hay put it to the feelings of the body whether Mr . Porter should be senjfc home , with feelings deeply wounded , after eleven yeara' faithful and useful services . Mr . Cooke felt it his duty not to give a silent vote . He was in the habit of receiving from Mr . Carlisle much Chris *
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Intelligence . S J —ynod of Ulster . 07
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tian instruction ; and if he ( Mr . Carlisle ) could convince him of one thing , he ( Mr . Cooke ) would have nothing more to say . Mr . Carlisle had observed that the Bible was sufficiently powerful to purify a man before he'entered into the door of the church . If it would effect this at the door , why not inside the house ? If they found that an enemy ' s army had , under false colours and assumed clothing ,
entered into a garrison , would they not use all their exertions to have them driven out , lest they conquered and overthrew the citadel ? If they plotted , should they not counterplot ? If they mined , should they not undermine ? If they found that men had come into the church without passing through the Bible at the door , should they not drive them out as an enemy that had come into the garrison under false colours ? Let those persons be tried by the Bible , and let them see who were the enemies .
Let Mr . Carlisle convince him that the enemy should be retained , and he ( Mr . Cooke ) would yield to him . If a wolf had gotten into the fold , in sheep ' s clothing , should the shepherds not drive him out ? Should he be allowed to remain and destroy the flocks and the young
lambs ? Surely not . Let them then try the flock , carefully inquire who were the wolves that had crept into the folds of Christ ' s flock , that they might drive them out ; or , if they were too strong for them , that they might withdraw from them , and take their flocks with them . He had heard
much about the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace . Before God , he could not silently stand by and contemplate a unity of the spirit between men who assert Christ to be a mere man , or a little more than a mere man , and those who believe him to be the Eternal Son of God , the Supreme God over all . What unity could there be between the man who looked on Jesus Christ as an exalted
angel , and he who worshiped him as the Supreme and Divine Head of the Christian Church , the Everlasting Father , the Prince of Peace ? Could persons who held such different opinions about the means of eternal salvation , hold the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace ? No ,
never . Let them withdraw from them - that they might , in sincerity and in truth , give unto their Lord and Master , even the Lord Jesus , that divine homage without which there could be no unity of the Spirit . They had been told that they had been in the habit of choosing moderators and clerks who were Ariaus . But if
they had been wrong in doing ao in past times , should they continue to do so ? Should they retain in their household physicians whose skill could not cure their own diseases ? Physicians , heal yourselves :
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1827, page 707, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1800/page/75/
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